1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a molding machine and, more particularly, to an improved automatic concrete brick-making machine.
2. Description of the related art
In a known machine of this type, the brick molds are defined, in part, by tread plates of an endless conveyor that are pivotally interconnected in succession. Pallets that serve to remove the bricks, once molded, act as bottom walls for the brick molds and are freely supported by the tread plates. The machine includes a hopper section where concrete mix is fed into the molds, followed by a tamper section where the concrete mix is compacted and further followed by a trowel section to provide the bricks with a smooth surface finish.
As with any concrete mix, vibration of the concrete mass is necessary to obtain homogenous mixture of the concrete components and to ensure the production of void-free concrete bricks. As of now, this vibration is obtained by applying a rapid back and forth movement to either the tamper head or by applying the vibration movement directly to the tread plates of the conveyor. In both cases, however, vibration being applied as it is to major parts of the machine, this has led to frequent and costly mechanical breakdowns.